


We Soar on the Wings of Happiness

by wontonto



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Sex, M/M, Making Out, just a little angst tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:02:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28451331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wontonto/pseuds/wontonto
Summary: Being in a long-distance relationship sucks, and Kuroko's going to surprise his boyfriend with a visit in America. He doesn't expect much from his basketball moron boyfriend, but Kagami surprises him with how much he's grown.
Relationships: Kagami Taiga/Kuroko Tetsuya
Comments: 5
Kudos: 81





	We Soar on the Wings of Happiness

"C’mon, Tetsu, you can’t back out now,” Aomine had said as he shoved him toward security. 

“I’m not, I just... What if he doesn’t appreciate it?” Kuroko bit his lip, nervously fiddling with his fingers. “And what if Nigou doesn’t do well on the plane ride?” 

“Oh my god, Testu, if he doesn’t appreciate you coming to visit him, I will personally follow you all the way over there and kick his ass,” Aomine rolled his eyes. 

“And Nigou’s a good dog, he’ll be fine!” Kise said, ruffling the husky’s ears. 

Nigou licked Kise’s fingers in appreciation and nuzzled against Kuroko’s legs. Kuroko appreciated the weight of his large dog against him, grounding him and calming him down a little bit. 

“You’re both right, but still...” Kuroko couldn’t shake the feeling of anxiety that Kagami wouldn’t want him there; like he’d be a hindrance to his training or something. 

“Considering how much he talks about missing you literally every time I talk to him, I think that he’d appreciate any time with you,” Himuro said, rolling his eyes. 

Kuroko nodded, finally looking up at his friends. “Thank you all for seeing me off. I appreciate it more than you know. I’ll see you when I get back!” 

He got through security and nervously buried his hands in Nigou’s thick fur as he sat down in the waiting area at the gate. Nigou rested his head on Kuroko’s thighs, looking up at him with his big blue eyes sympathetically. He whimpered and put his paws on Kuroko’s thighs to get up to lick his face. 

“You’re the best, Nigou,” Kuroko whispered, hugging his dog. 

After Nigou calmed him down some more, the dog laid down at his feet. Kuroko dug through the front pocket of his bag once more, just to make _absolutely sure_ he had the key. He didn’t want to get to the apartment and have to knock on the door or ring the doorbell. That would just defeat the purpose of the surprise visit. 

His heart dropped to his stomach for a moment when he couldn’t find it and Nigou seemed to sense something was off and was on his feet immediately. But when his hand brushed against the cool metal and there was a slight jingling sound as Kuroko pulled it out, he let out a breath of relief. 

“False alarm, Nigou,” he said quietly, putting the key back in the pocket and zipping it back up tightly. He ruffled Nigou’s ears and kissed the top of his head. “I just hope that he’ll appreciate me coming to visit him...” 

No matter what his friends kept telling him, he was still just _nervous_. For one, he’d never been to the U.S. before and wasn’t sure what to expect, and his English wasn’t... great. And he was nervous for Nigou; he’d never been on a plane ride this long, and although he was a great dog, Kuroko wasn’t sure how well he’d fare. What if he had to do his business during the long flight? What would Kuroko do then?! 

He took a deep breath when Nigou licked his hands. “You’re right, it’s too late to back out now,” he nodded. 

Soon the plane was boarding and Kuroko made his way onto the plane with Nigou in tow. He sat down and Nigou settled at his feet, making himself as small as possible and resting some of his body weight against Kuroko’s legs. 

Kuroko took out his phone to make sure it was on airplane mode but saw a text from his boyfriend. 

_**Kagami:** I know it’s early there, but I just wanted to say that I love you and miss you..._

Kuroko smiled at the words. They texted regularly, but usually it wasn’t very substantial. Neither of them were that great at relationships, but they could always feel the love from the other. The time zones weren’t their friend either, with their drastic difference. They video called when they could, but that wasn’t very often. 

Nigou looked up at him and whimpered softly before Kuroko rubbed his head in reassurance. “Just a message from Kagami,” he said quietly. 

He sent a quick text back. 

_**Kuroko:** Thinking about you, and I love you too._

He wasn’t expecting any response, so he turned his airplane mode on and settled in for the very long flight. 

“Doggie!” an excited voice came from next to him. 

A small girl was fidgeting in her seat, looking down at Nigou with glittering eyes. 

“Now you don’t want to bother him, Taiga,” the mother said, holding her hand. “Sorry,” she bowed slightly to Kuroko. 

“No problem. You can pet him if you like,” Kuroko smiled, looking at her. “He’s very well-behaved.” 

Nigou raised his head, looking excited at the prospect of pets. 

“Yay!” the little girl bent down and patted him on the head roughly, as little children without pets tended to do. 

The dog was a little taken aback, but he nuzzled against her anyway. 

“Mommy, look!” the girl laughed. 

“I can see, Taiga, it seems like he likes you,” the mother smiled tightly. 

She must be a little nervous with such a big dog around, and Kuroko understood. “He won’t be trouble, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” he reassured her. 

“No, it’s not that. I’m a bit nervous of such long flights,” the mother shook her head. “I’m not so keen on flights normally, so this one is just nerve-wracking.” 

Kuroko nodded. “I get that, I’m a bit nervous too. I’m sure Nigou would be willing to help you if you need him too.” 

The mother laughed lightly. “Thank you, I would appreciate that if I need it. He seems like a good dog. What breed is he?” 

“I’m not entirely sure, considering I just found him as a stray, but I’m pretty sure he’s a husky,” Kuroko smiled. 

“How good of you to take him in! Did you have another dog before him?” 

“Oh, no,” Kuroko chuckled. “My friends said that he and I were similar, so one of them just named him Tetsuya Nigou. But we call him Nigou for short.” 

The mother laughed along with him. “That’s very sweet! I’m Katsumi, and this is my little girl Taiga.” 

“It’s nice to meet you both,” he smiled. “What are you going to the U.S. for, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

“We’re going home, actually. We were just visiting some family here for the week. It was my mom’s birthday and she wanted to see her granddaughter for her present. My wife and I live in LA and she unfortunately had to work this week so she couldn’t join us,” Katsumi sighed. “What are you going there for?” 

“I’m going to surprise my boyfriend,” Kuroko smiled. “Whose name is coincidentally also Taiga.” 

The little girl looked up from where she’d been petting Nigou’s soft ears and looked up. “Really?!” 

He hummed, nodding. 

“What’s he look like?!” 

Kuroko took out his phone and opened up the picture album he had of the two of them, selfies that he’d taken over the years. He double checked that he tapped on the right album; he didn’t really want to scar a small child for the rest of her life with the nude pictures he had of his boyfriend. 

“Wait...” Katsumi’s eyes narrowed when she saw the pictures of Kagami. “Your boyfriend is Kagami Taiga? The upcoming star rookie of the Bulls?!” 

Kuroko blinked, amazed that she knew of Kagami’s career plans. “Yes, how did you know about him?” 

“Oh my god, my wife is such a big basketball fan and she’s so excited to see him play in the upcoming season! What are the chances of us meeting like this?!” 

Kuroko smiled. “Indeed.” He looked at the young girl sitting between them and then back at Katsumi. 

The woman used her hand to cup her face and smiled awkwardly. “Yes, Miki made us name her after him. She said that she carried our child for nine months and she was going to name them Taiga whether it was a girl or boy.” 

The man laughed and nodded. “I’m sure he would be very flattered. Actually... what would you say to meeting him?” 

Katsumi’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?!” 

“You and your wife live in LA, right? He’s training there and that’s why I’m going to surprise him. I’m sure we could make it happen.” 

“I wouldn’t want to intrude on your time with him, though,” Katsumi shook her head. 

“I’m going to be there for a few days, and I’m sure that he’d love meeting a fan,” Kuroko shook off her concern. “We could exchange information and set it up that way.” 

“Are you absolutely sure?” 

“I’m sure,” Kuroko nodded. “And how could I deny him the opportunity of meeting this other Taiga?” 

“Miki would absolutely love that, oh my god,” Katsumi breathed. “I insist on taking you both out to dinner or something afterwards though.” 

“I would highly recommend against that. He is a _bottomless pit_ when it comes to food.” 

Katsumi laughed. “I’m sure we could think of something.” 

“Mommy, snacks!” Taiga said, seemingly done playing with Nigou for the moment. 

“Okay, you little gremlin,” Katsumi grabbed some snacks from her bag. “Would you like some, Tetsuya?” 

“I’m fine, thank you, though,” he smiled. 

Normally on flights, he would read a book, but talking to Katsumi and playing games with Taiga made the time pass by much faster and easier. 

… 

When the plane landed at LAX, Kuroko pulled out his phone and turned off airplane mode. 

He was immediately bombarded with texts from his friends, and a couple from Kagami. 

_**Kagami:** I wish I could see you soon. Can you video call in a few? _

It was followed by a text an hour later. 

_**Kagami:** Guess that’s a no, huh. I love you. _

Kuroko’s heart clenched at the thought that maybe Kagami thought he was ignoring him. But he couldn’t really say anything without ruining his surprise. 

He sighed and scrolled through the texts that his friends had been spamming their group chat with and decided it wasn’t worth back reading. He sent a text that he’d arrived safely and slipped his phone back into his pocket. 

“Tetsuya, are you okay to get to Kagami’s place by yourself? Like... no offense, but how’s your English?” Katsumi asked, a concerned note in her voice. 

“It’s not very good, but I think it’s good enough to get by. If it comes to the worst, I can just show the taxi driver the address because my friend wrote it down.” 

“Can I see? Not to be creepy and stalk your boyfriend or anything.” 

He grabbed the paper that Himuro had written Kagami’s address on and showed it to Katsumi. 

“Tetsuya, this is literally five minutes away from my place. Please let Miki drive you. Don’t waste your money on a taxi.” 

“I couldn’t possibly –” 

“ _Please._ You’ve helped me this entire flight and kept Taiga entertained. _And_ you agreed to let my wife meet your famous boyfriend. Please let me at least do this for you.” 

Kuroko sighed. “When you put it that way, I suppose I can’t refuse.” 

“Yes! Thank you. Lemme text Miki and let her know that we’ll have another body in the car. Well... two, technically, cause Nigou.” 

Kuroko smiled, looking out the window at the beautiful colors of the California sunrise. He was _here._ He was breathing the same air that Kagami was, and he was going to see him... _so soon._

Katsumi and Taiga followed him down to the baggage claim, the three of them waiting for their bags. 

As they did, Katsumi received a video call from her wife. 

“Sumi, what are you thinking, just telling me we’re giving someone a ride?!” her wife screeched in Japanese. 

“Miki, calm down. I got to know him on the flight, and you’ll like him, I promise!” Katsumi rolled her eyes. 

“Still doesn’t change the fact that he’s a stranger! Why would you do this? We have Taiga to think of!” 

“She really likes him too, and he has a good dog. We’re just dropping him off at his boyfriend’s place, okay, Miki?” 

Miki sighed deeply. “Fine, but if he stinks, I’m bitching to you.” 

“Okay, love. I’ll ping you when we get our bags.” 

They hung up and Kuroko cocked his head to the side. “You’re dropping me off?” 

“Yeah, what else would we do?” Katsumi blinked. 

“I just thought that now that you’re driving me, we could do the meet up then?” 

The woman scoffed. “Tetsuya. I would not do that to you. I’m sure you haven’t seen him in a long time and I’m not going to infringe on your reunion. You have my info, you can just let me know when you have time to meet up with us, whether it be today or any time during your stay. Or if he doesn’t want to, let me know.” 

Kuroko’s heart warmed. “I’m sure he wouldn’t refuse. And thank you, Katsumi. I appreciate that very much.” 

“Of course. I mean, I haven’t seen my wife for a week, I can only imagine what it must be like for you not being able to see him for... who knows how long?” 

He smiled. “Yeah, it’s... it’s been a while.” 

“I’m sure you want to have time with him.” She winked. “Just keep me in the loop about meeting him and stuff.” 

“I will,” Kuroko nodded as they grabbed their bags. 

Katsumi texted her wife and then they were walking out to the front of the airport. 

“Before she gets here, I need to tell you to _not_ tell her that Kagami’s your boyfriend. She will freak and I guarantee she will want to go up to his apartment immediately.” 

Kuroko laughed. “I see, she’s that infatuated with him, huh?” 

“Not in a weird way, I promise...” Katsumi bit her lip. “Ok, maybe in a little bit of a weird way, but I'm sure that meeting him will tone that down. Hopefully.” 

“I mean, I won’t hold it against her, he is a very attractive man,” Kuroko shrugged. 

“You’re too nice, Tetsuya,” Katsumi shook her head. 

“There’s Mama’s car!” Taiga started waving her hands as soon as she saw a sleek black car. 

“Not a word, Tetsuya,” Katsumi reminded him. 

“Baby!” Miki threw open the car door as soon as she pulled up to the curb. “I missed you so much, my little Tiger!” She grabbed her daughter in a huge hug and planted kisses all over her face. “I missed you too, Sumi,” she wrapped an arm around her wife and kissed her lips. “And who’s this?” She looked over at Kuroko. 

“Kuroko Tetsuya, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he bowed slightly. “And I'm sorry to intrude on your family reunion.” 

Miki’s eyes narrowed slightly when she saw Nigou. “A dog, huh?” 

“Yes, but he is very well-behaved, I promise.” 

“I don’t mind them,” Miki shrugged. “Well, let’s all pile in and get going. We’re dropping you off at your boyfriend’s place?” 

“Yes, please,” Kuroko nodded. 

They got into the car and Kuroko was just glad that he’d made friends with someone who had a child, since the car was spacious in the back and Nigou fit without too much trouble. It was a bit of a squeeze, but Kuroko didn’t mind having half of Nigou on his lap while the other half hung out of the window. 

The car ride was filled with idle chitchat between the wives in English, which Kuroko wasn’t really a part of, but he didn’t mind. He was just excited to be closer to his boyfriend than he had been in nearly a year. 

Just to make sure _one last time,_ he reached into his backpack pocket. As soon as he found the weight of the key, he clenched his fist around it. He pulled it out and looked at it in the palm of his hand and smiled slightly. 

“This the place?” Miki asked, pulling up to the apartment building where Kagami lived. 

“Ah, yes, thank you very much,” Kuroko said, making sure to tuck the key back into his backpack. He couldn’t lose it _now_ of all times. “I really do appreciate this so much, Miki-san. And I hope to be able to repay you somehow soon.” 

Katsumi snorted at his words and waved off Miki’s questioning look as she hopped out of the car to help Kuroko grab his bag. 

“I’m so glad I got to meet you, Tetsuya,” she said. “And honestly, thank you so much for keeping me company during the flight and keeping Taiga entertained.” 

“Of course, it was such a pleasure to meet you as well, Katsumi,” Kuroko smiled brightly at her. “I will let you know the plan later.” 

“Sounds good,” she nodded. “See you, Tetsuya. And bye, Nigou!” She rubbed the dog’s face between her hands and he gently barked at her and licked her hands before she pulled away. 

Kuroko made his way into the apartment building and went up to the top floor where his stupidly rich boyfriend lived, fidgeting excitedly with the key in his hand. Nigou sensed his excitement and wagged his tail while looking up at him. 

“Aren’t you excited too, Nigou?” he asked his dog, brushing a hand over his head. 

When the elevator doors opened, Kuroko speed walked over to the apartment door and took a deep breath. He slid the key into the lock and turned it carefully, trying not to make too much noise. He knew that his boyfriend slept like a rock, but still. He didn’t want to ruin the surprise. 

He opened the door and dragged his suitcase in, admiring the apartment. He hadn’t been here in a long time, and it was only once when Kagami had moved in. He let go of Nigou’s leash and let the dog snuffle around the apartment as he took his shoes off. There wasn’t much décor, but that’s about what he expected from his boyfriend. 

He looked down the hallway where the bedroom and bathroom were and his heart beat faster. He was finally _here._ Kagami was _right there._

He patted his thigh as a sign for Nigou to heel, and the dog trotted over to him immediately. 

They walked to Kagami’s room and Kuroko cracked open the door. He put his palm out for Nigou to stay and peeked in. 

As soon as he set eyes on Kagami, his heart burst with affection. He was sleeping in just his boxers, an arm sprawled over his stomach and the other under his pillow. The blankets he’d supposedly been sleeping under at the beginning of the night were bunched at the end of his bed, like he’d kicked them off in his sleep. 

Kuroko sneaked into the room and stood by the bed for a moment before brushing his hand over Kagami’s hair. It was soft, but a bit wild, like he’d gone to sleep with it wet and it had dried during the night. If his hair looked like that, he had _no room_ to talk about Kuroko’s bedhead. 

“I’m sorry I missed your texts,” he whispered, bending down to press a kiss to Kagami’s forehead. “But I’m here now. And seeing you in person is so much better than over a screen.” 

Kagami groaned and shifted slightly in his sleep, muttering something. 

“Miss you...” 

The small tone he used made Kuroko’s heart clench. “I love you so much, Kagami,” he said softly, brushing his fingers over Kagami’s face to cup his cheek. 

Kagami’s face scrunched and his eyes fluttered open. “Mmm... Kuroko?” he asked hopefully. “This is another dream, isn’t it?” 

Kuroko’s breath caught in his throat and he let out a watery chuckle. “No, Kagami, this isn’t a dream. Not this time.” 

He patted his thigh for Nigou once again and the dog’s whole body was wagging as he bolted over to the bed. “Get him,” Kuroko smiled. 

Nigou jumped onto the bed and started attacking Kagami’s face with slobbery kisses. 

Kagami sputtered and flailed his hands, swatting Nigou away but the dog was not deterred and licked every part of Kagami he could reach. “What the –? Who the –?!” 

When he was finally awake, he was able to hold the dog away from his face. It was quite a feat considering how large Nigou had grown over the years, and Kuroko couldn’t hold back his chuckle. 

“Nigou?!” Kagami finally realized what dog had tackled him in his sleep. “Wait...” His eyes turned to Kuroko and he sucked in a breath. “Kuroko?” His voice cracked. 

“It’s me, Kagami. I’m home.” 

Kagami moved faster than Kuroko had ever seen him move, snapping his arms around him in a vice-lock hug. Kuroko reveled in the warmth of his boyfriend’s body around him and couldn’t help but tear up a little. It had been _so long._

“Oh my god, it’s really you,” he said, his voice muffled by Kuroko’s chest. 

“I’m here,” Kuroko whispered, trying to wrap his arms around Kagami’s back. 

“Oh my god I... You’re here... I can’t...” 

Kuroko adjusted them slightly so Kagami was sitting on the bed and Kuroko straddled his lap. He wrapped his arms around Kagami’s neck, running his fingers through his hair while Kagami just held him around the waist, trembling slightly. 

“I can’t believe it...” he said quietly. “I was so worried when you didn’t respond...” 

Kuroko kissed the crown of Kagami’s head. “Sorry I didn’t, I was on the plane.” 

Kagami looked up, scrunching his eyebrows. “Yeah, I get that _now._ Didn’t stop me from freaking out, though.” 

Kuroko brought his hands to cup Kagami’s cheeks and ran his thumbs underneath his eyes. “I’m sorry. Forgive me?” 

Kagami sighed dramatically, but it was ruined by the hitch in his breath near the end. “I _suppose_ I can, since you’re here and all. And holding you is so much better than seeing you over a tiny screen.” 

“Oh, good, I was afraid I would never be able to win your affection again,” Kuroko smiled, booping Kagami’s nose. “Now, as a token of my gratitude for you forgiving me, a kiss?” 

Kagami pressed their lips together for the first time in what felt like _forever._

Kuroko immediately arched into the kiss, a sigh leaving his lungs. He moved his hands to the back of Kagami’s neck to pull them closer together as Kagami’s hands moved to his hips. 

He wiggled closer on Kagami’s lap, making the taller man groan into his mouth, sending heat down to his stomach. He gasped when Kagami’s mouth left his, immediately going to nip at his neck. 

“I missed you... _so goddamn much,_ ” Kagami growled, moving his hands under Kuroko’s shirt. “Take this off?” 

Kuroko didn’t want to have any more barriers between him and his boyfriend, so of course he obliged. 

Right after he threw his shirt across the room, a startled yelp made both of them jolt. 

They looked where the sound came from and saw Nigou shaking Kuroko’s shirt off of his face. He looked over at them with an incredulous expression and Kuroko laughed. “Sorry, Nigou!” 

Kagami sighed, leaning his head onto Kuroko’s shoulder. “Jeez, that nearly gave me a heart attack.” 

Kuroko brushed his hand over Kagami’s hair, chuckling. “Yeah, that was a bit of a mood-killer, wasn’t it?” 

“A little bit, yeah,” Kagami shook his head. “I should probably have breakfast anyway, though.” 

“Mmhmm,” Kuroko hummed, kissing the tip of Kagami’s nose. “I love you.” 

“I love you too. So much,” Kagami smiled, his eyes crinkling at the edges. 

… 

“So, I have a proposition,” Kuroko said, sitting at the island in the kitchen, watching Kagami cook breakfast. 

“What’s that?” Kagami asked, glancing at him. “Do you want some breakfast, by the way? Did you eat on the plane?” 

“Of course I want to eat your cooking,” Kuroko scoffed. “Why would I fly all the way here to eat somewhere else?” 

“Okay, greedy-ass,” Kagami snorted. “You get a whole ass meal right in front of you and you want to eat _more?_ Jeez.” 

“I didn’t get to eat any of it yet, though,” Kuroko pouted, raking his eyes over Kagami’s body. 

The man rolled his eyes. “Oh my god. Just tell me what your proposition is before I decide not to make you any breakfast.” 

“I sat next to a woman and her daughter on the plane. Her daughter’s name is Taiga.” He paused. 

“...Okay?” Kagami raised an eyebrow. 

“The woman’s wife is a huge NBA fan.” 

“...Again, okay? Where are you going with this?” 

Kuroko sighed. “Kagami, they named their daughter _after you._ I even asked to double check.” 

“Oh...” Kagami turned around to face the stove, but Kuroko could see the back of his neck flush. 

“They live here in LA, five minutes away, apparently. I told Katsumi that I would ask if you’d meet them.” 

“Katsumi being... the woman you met?” 

“Yes.” 

“Wow, I... Now?” 

“No, whenever. I told her that I’d keep in touch and let her know.” 

“Oh, okay... Damn, they named a whole-ass kid after me?!” he muttered to himself. 

“If you keep swearing like that, they might make her change it,” Kuroko smirked. 

“Whatever. Can I take you out around town on a date today then?” 

“We can do whatever you like, I came here to see you.” 

“Okay, um... Actually, I've never been to the Griffith observatory in all the time I've lived here. And I've heard that it’s really cool and I've been meaning to go for a long time but I don’t really wanna go by myself and Tatsuya won’t go with me when he’s here. So... you wanna go?” 

“Sounds good to me,” Kuroko nodded. “What are we going to do before then, though? I mean, it’s for looking at the stars, right?” 

“Well, yeah, duh, but we could go play some streetball before then, and there are cool hikes around the observatory too. And everyone says that the view’s spectacular. So, what do you think?” He looked a little bit nervous about his suggestions, but he shouldn’t have been. 

Kuroko tapped his finger on his chin thoughtfully. “Can we bring Nigou along on the hikes?” 

“Of course.” 

“I want to go to the Hollywood sign.” 

“Okay, that’s fine. It’s right around the observatory so that works out well!” 

Kuroko smiled. “Sounds like a plan.” 

They ate breakfast in relative silence, Nigou begging for scraps by standing up on Kagami’s thighs and looking at him with his big blue eyes. 

"Who’s the best boy? _It’s you!_ You are!” Kagami baby talked the large dog, grabbing his face and rubbing his ears. 

Nigou’s body practically vibrated and he was more excited than Kuroko had seen him in a long time. Apparently he’d missed Kagami just as much as Kuroko had. 

“Okay, I'm ready to head out to the observatory whenever you are,” Kagami said after he got dressed and walked out to the living room. 

Kuroko was already standing by the door with Nigou sitting next to him, both of them fidgeting with anticipation. 

“Okay, I guess we’re all ready then,” Kagami laughed lightly. “Let’s head out.” 

“We’re walking the whole way?” Kuroko asked. 

"Not the whole way, there’s a bus we can take that’ll get us close. I don’t want Nigou’s paws to get burned or anything. Cause I don’t want you to be in pain, baby boy,” he turned to Nigou and kissed his nose. 

It was incredible, really, that Kagami had become so attached to Nigou. But Kuroko still remembered the first time Nigou had licked Kagami’s hand and the teen had been so surprised that he hadn’t gotten bitten by the then-small puppy. 

Nigou barked and wiggled, ready to jump up onto Kagami and try to reach his face. Sure, Nigou was a big dog, but he wasn’t quite _that_ big. Kuroko gently pulled on his leash as a signal to calm down and the dog whimpered, leaning into Kuroko’s side. 

“I know, but you can’t just jump on him,” Kuroko rolled his eyes. “As much as you might want to, I understand the feeling of wanting to climb him like a tree.” 

He eyed Kagami, who was trying to cover his face with a hand in embarrassment. “Wow, you...” 

“Aren’t you ready? I feel like if we stay in this apartment much longer, we might not leave,” Kuroko raised an eyebrow, not even trying to hide his desire for his boyfriend. 

“Okay, okay,” Kagami waved his hands. “Let’s just get going.” 

They walked to the bus stop near Kagami’s apartment and Kagami gently nudged Kuroko’s hand into his own. 

“Oh?” Kuroko looked down at their joined hands. 

“What? Is it that strange that I want to hold my boyfriend’s hand when I haven’t seen him for a year?” Kagami blushed. 

He was still so easy to fluster with such gentle affections. Kuroko smiled. “No, it’s very sweet of you. I mean, I’d rather do something else, but...” 

“Oh my god, shut _up_ or I’m not gonna hold your hand,” Kagami rolled his eyes. 

It felt so domestic, walking down the street hand-in-hand with his boyfriend and dog by his side, that Kuroko found himself smiling uncontrollably. “You know... if we actually lived together, this could be our everyday life...” he muttered to himself. 

Kagami’s hand squeezed his lightly. “I know... It fucking sucks not being around you, you know that? I miss you all the time and... I even miss Nigou.” 

Kuroko felt his chest constrict. He shouldn’t be thinking about when they have to separate from each other again! He was _here,_ he was with his boyfriend right at this moment! He should enjoy it! 

But a part of him just couldn’t help but think about when they’d have to say goodbye again. 

“You okay, Kuroko?” Kagami asked softly, shaking Kuroko’s hand gently. 

“Yeah, just... It’s fine.” 

They spent the rest of the walk to the bus stop in silence, letting Nigou stop whenever something piqued his interest, and once when Kagami saw a street ball game being played. His eyes glittered as he watched the players, and his fingers twitched. 

Kuroko smiled fondly. “You want to play, don’t you?” 

“Of course I do,” Kagami bit his lip, looking over at the court. “I knew this was on the way to the bus stop, and I thought that it’d be fine and I wouldn’t want to play, but...” 

“You’re a basketball moron, of course you’ll want to play any time you see a court,” Kuroko rolled his eyes. “And... it has been a long time since we’ve played a game together.” 

Kagami looked down at Kuroko. “Are you _sure?_ You really don’t mind?” 

“As long as they let us play with their ball, I don’t see the problem,” Kuroko shrugged, already tugging Kagami into the fenced in court. 

Kagami’s body buzzed and Kuroko could feel the fire of his competitive spirit burning. Of course he had to fall in love with this moron who could only think about basketball. 

He was the same, so it wasn’t such a big deal, but he did feel a little bad that Nigou wouldn’t get the exercise he probably needed since they most likely wouldn’t be going on a hike today. 

“Hey, you guys got room for two more?” Kagami called to the guys playing on the court. 

“Sure, if you don’t mind splitting up and being on different teams,” one of the guys said after they all looked at each other. 

“What, they don’t know who you are?” Kuroko asked, actually a little surprised. 

“I don’t really play street ball much. Y’know, it’s all in the gym and super official. Cause they want us to be in top condition and I'm always tired after practice so...” he shrugged. 

“Ah, I see,” Kuroko nodded. “I’m a bit surprised that you actually follow their rules, though.” 

“Shut up,” Kagami laughed, lightly shoving Kuroko. “Yeah, splitting up is fine, but just so you know this guy’s a little shit on the court!” 

Kuroko took Nigou’s leash off and let the dog sit by the sidelines. He sometimes ran with them across the court, just along the sidelines. He’d been around basketball for long enough to know not to go onto the court during a game. His tail was wagging and his eyes followed the ball excitedly, letting out barks when either team scored. 

“Oh, we got our own little cheerleader,” one of the street basket guys noted, smiling. 

“Yeah, he’s a good dog,” Kagami bragged, like he was the sole owner. 

Kuroko rolled his eyes. His boyfriend was _very_ fond of the dog, and honestly it was such a difference to his initial reaction that it made him smile. 

… 

They played basketball much longer than Kuroko would’ve liked to, but seeing Kagami in his element was so refreshing. It was _everything_ to see him smiling and having fun. Of course Kuroko expected that’s how he looked when he played with his new team the Chicago Bulls; Kagami just loved playing the sport. But when there weren’t any high stakes and it was just for fun, Kagami was so much more relaxed. He always wanted to win, but when his teammates weren’t up to his level, he didn’t mind. 

Kagami had definitely grown since high school. He never shouted when his street ball teammates missed a pass or a shot, he encouraged them and patted their backs. He even offered them advice on how to make their shots better and take their forms into consideration. 

It was a side of Kagami that Kuroko wasn’t used to, and it made his heart swell with affection for the man. He was truly an amazing player, and he couldn’t have asked for a better partner in high school and in life. 

Oh shit. He was _really whipped_ for Kagami, wasn’t he? 

He stopped for a moment at the realization. He... really didn’t want to be with anyone else. Kagami was it for him. They were meant to be together. 

“You okay, Kuroko?” Kagami asked, slinging an arm over his shoulders. “You just kinda froze.” 

“Yeah, I just... I love you a lot, you know?” 

Kagami smiled shyly. “I know. I love you a lot too.” 

“Now, after saying that, I think we should probably find some place to eat dinner and then go to the observatory?” Kuroko chuckled. “You did promise to take me out on a date.” 

Kagami opened his mouth to protest and then realized that the sky was turning orange with the sunset. “Oh. Uh... Okay, you’re right. And I am _starving,_ now that I think about it.” He waved at the players. “Hey, guys, thanks for letting us play with you, it was a lot of fun!” 

Kuroko clipped Nigou’s leash onto his collar and waited for Kagami to finish saying goodbye to the players before they started walking again. Their hands naturally found each other again and Kuroko squeezed his hand softly. He’d _really_ missed this. 

“So, where are you going to take me, Kagami?” Kuroko asked. “Somewhere fancy that I've never been before?” 

Kagami blinked. “Do you want me to take you somewhere fancy you’ve never been before?” 

Kuroko shrugged. “Might be nice every once in a while. But... no. They do have Maji burgers here, don’t they?” 

“Uh... no, but they have something _better._ I promise their shakes are also better than Maji’s.” 

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You promise? Because if they aren’t, I will be very upset.” 

“I think they are, anyway. C’mon, it’s actually right around here.” 

“Please don’t tell me you eat fast food instead of cooking for the majority of your meals.” 

“No, I really cook mostly! You know I like cooking. It’s just that it’s _right here_ so it’s convenient when I just need some quick food.” 

Kuroko hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t believe you, but okay.” 

“You’re a jerk,” Kagami bumped his shoulder lightly, raising their intertwined hands to press a kiss to the back of Kuroko’s. “But I love you anyway.” 

“I would hope so, considering we’ve been dating for how long now?” 

Kagami shrugged, swinging their hands lightly. “Long enough, I think.” 

Kuroko looked over at him, alarmed. “What’s what supposed to mean?!” 

“Uh...” Kagami looked over at him like a deer in headlights. “Um... Nothing bad, I promise! Though... now that I think about it, _wow_ that did... not sound good when it came out of my mouth.” 

“No? It did not?” Kuroko looked at him, waiting for an explanation. 

“Oh, look, we’re here!” Kagami abruptly changed the subject, pulling Kuroko into the fast-food place, and of course it was a burger joint. 

“You’re acting very suspicious, Kagami,” Kuroko narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend. “If you tell me you want to break up, I will cry. And that is a threat.” 

“I don’t! Kuroko, please just believe me when I say I didn’t mean anything bad by it and drop it, okay?” 

Kuroko sighed. “Fine, whatever.” 

Their dinner was awkward, and Kagami could only blame himself for that. Combined with the fact that they had to wait quite a while for all of Kagami’s burgers, Kuroko was getting on edge. He practically crushed the cup of his vanilla shake between his hands and he couldn’t even taste it. 

What the fuck had Kagami meant _“long enough”_?! If those weren’t words spoken before a break-up, Kuroko didn’t know what they were. 

“Kuroko, can we... just go home and do the observatory some other time?” Kagami asked awkwardly. “I’m sorry I fucked up and said something I didn’t mean in the way... that you took it.” 

“Fine,” Kuroko said curtly. 

“Do you want one?” Kagami held out a burger as a peace offering. 

“I guess.” Kuroko took it, but he was still upset and annoyed. 

Their short walk back to Kagami’s apartment was silent, and not their usual comfortable silence. Kagami’s hands were shoved into his pockets, and Kuroko had Nigou walk in between them as a barrier. 

When they finally got back into the apartment and Kuroko unclipped Nigou’s leash, Kagami grabbed Kuroko’s hands. 

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way, Kuroko,” he said, his eyes pleading. “I just... I...” 

“Then how _did_ you mean it, Kagami? Please, enlighten me.” Kuroko was actually pissed off, and he wasn’t going to accept any bullshit excuses. “Because to me, it sounded like you were done with me.” 

“No! That’s not at all...! No!” Kagami let go of Kuroko’s hands and ran his own through his hair. “God, why is this so much harder than I thought it would be?! _Fuck!_ I just...” He took a deep breath. “Kuroko, I love you so much more than I ever thought possible. Like, _wow_ I just... I can’t explain how much I love you, and this might not be the time or place for this, but... I opened my big mouth so I might as well just... Hang out for just a second, okay?” 

Kagami disappeared into his bedroom and Kuroko sighed, rubbing his forehead. Kagami had never been very articulate with his words, but he was an absolute babbling mess right now. Kuroko couldn’t think of any reason why he would be, and that was quite concerning. 

He looked over at Nigou, who was nosing around the kitchen, but trotted over to Kuroko when he noticed him looking. He whimpered and shoved his nose into Kuroko’s hand and licked his fingers, trying to comfort his owner. 

“Thanks, Nigou,” Kuroko said softly, rubbing his hand over Nigou’s head. “You’re the best dog ever.” 

“ _Fuck,_ where _is_ it?!” Kagami cursed from his bedroom. 

Kuroko rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone to send a text to the group text he had with his middle school teammates. 

_**Kuroko:** I’m here in Kagami’s apartment but he’s acting super shady._  
_**Aomine:** wym, tetsu? is he being an ungrateful shit??? _  
_**Kise:** Kurokocchi, I'm sure he has his reasons! _  
_**Akashi** : If he hurts you, there will be hell to pay. _

Kuroko let out a soft laugh at the overwhelming support he got from his friends. They always had his back, and he was incredibly grateful to them for that. 

“HA!” Kagami’s voice came from his bedroom and his heavy footsteps clomped out to the living room. “I found what I was looking for.” 

“Okay?” Kuroko folded his arms, unimpressed. “I don’t understand what you meant when you said –” 

“I know! And I'm sorry that I put the idea that I want to break up with you in your mind. I run my mouth sometimes, you know that,” Kagami cut him off. “That is the absolute _last_ thing I want to do. And... I just...” He flushed, his hands fiddling with something behind his back. “I’ve been thinking a lot lately, about how our relationship is going and how much it sucks that I can’t see you as much as I want to and... I was actually going to go and surprise you with a visit next month...” 

Kuroko blinked. “So that’s why Himuro convinced me to come earlier...” he chuckled to himself. 

Kagami laughed lightly. “I can always count on Tatsuya. But anyway, I was going to ask you this when I was back home, but now that you’re here, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask now.” 

He revealed his hands and held out a velvet box, getting down on one knee. Kuroko’s breath hitched and his heart skipped a beat. “Are you serious?” he breathed. 

Kagami smiled, opening the box to reveal a simple band. “You wanna marry me?” 

Kuroko grabbed Kagami’s cheeks and pulled him up to kiss his lips. “Of course I do, you moron,” he said softly, through his smile and tears. “Is that what you meant when you said ‘long enough’?” he choked out a laugh. 

“It was stupid, I know, I didn’t think before I said it, just... can we forget about it?” Kagami grumbled, his eyebrows furrowing. 

“ _Absolutely not._ I’m going to tell everyone how I thought you were going to break up with me an hour before you proposed,” Kuroko smirked. “But first you should put the ring on me.” 

Kagami gently pulled out the ring of the box. “I just hope it fits...” He held his breath as he smoothly slid the ring onto Kuroko’s left hand, looking up at him. “Well?” 

“It fits perfectly,” Kuroko nodded. “It’s very simple and I love that about it.” 

“Good. It actually has... our anniversary engraved on the inside...” Kagami rubbed the back of his head, blushing furiously. 

“Kagami, I didn’t expect you to be such a romantic,” Kuroko chuckled, kissing his fiancé once again. “I should let everyone know.” 

“Do we have to let them know... _now,_ though?” Kagami pursed his lips, grabbing Kuroko’s wrist as he reached for his phone. “I mean... we were interrupted earlier today and it _has_ been a year since I've seen you, so...” 

Kuroko smirked, draping his arms over Kagami’s shoulders. “Oh? You want to have your way with me, Kagami-kun?” he smirked. 

“Or, y’know, the other way works too,” Kagami smirked back, picking up his fiancé. “I just really love you so much.” 

Kuroko laughed, wrapping his arms around Kagami’s neck and kissing his cheek. “I know, and I love you too.” 

“Where’s Nigou? I don’t want him to interrupt us again,” Kagami’s eyes narrowed, scanning his apartment for the dog before he made his way to his room. 

Kuroko called for him and the dog bounded out of the bedroom, his tail wagging and a happy bark leaving him. 

“Stay out here for tonight, Nigou,” Kuroko reached down and booped the dog on his nose. “You can sleep on the couch.” 

Nigou zoomed over to the couch and leaped onto it, grabbing the blanket Kagami had draped over the back of it and snuggling under it. 

“He is so fucking smart, it’s scary,” Kagami shook his head. “Anyway, where were we?” He raised an eyebrow in what he hoped was a seductive way. 

“You were going to let me fuck you?” Kuroko offered, nipping at Kagami’s ear. 

“Oh, yeah,” Kagami nodded, making his way to the bedroom. 

… 

The next morning, Kuroko woke up in the arms of his fiancé and couldn’t be happier. He was satisfied and fulfilled in a way he hadn’t been in _forever_ and yeah, it was definitely because of the mind-blowing reunion/engagement sex, but just... being around Kagami made everything so much better and brighter. 

He looked at his handsome fiancé and smiled. _Fiancé._ It was so surreal and he looked at the ring on his finger to make sure that he hadn’t imagined it all happening. But there it was; sparkling in the soft sunlight that streamed through the curtains that they hadn’t closed last night. 

He took off the ring and inspected the inside of it, checking to see what Kagami had gotten engraved in it. A part of him wondered if Kagami actually remembered their anniversary or if he just picked a random date. Knowing Kagami, he would do something like that. 

But when he looked, it was in fact their anniversary date and even their initials. It was a very sweet gesture and Kuroko found himself falling even more in love with the man sleeping beside him. He didn’t think it was possible, but he hoped that he would always feel like this; like he’d always find more love in his heart for Kagami. 

He put his ring back on before brushing his knuckles over Kagami’s cheekbones. He let his palm rest against his cheek and smiled when Kagami snorted in his sleep. “You’re the greatest.” 

Kagami grumbled and pulled Kuroko closer, burying his nose in his hair. He hummed and Kuroko hugged him around his waist in reciprocation. “Kagami, we should get up soon,” he gently patted Kagami’s back. 

“Mmm?” Kagami grumbled, slowly opening his eyes. “Hey,” he smiled softly, noticing Kuroko in his arms. “You’re here.” 

“What, did you think I was a dream again? After all the things I did to you last night?” Kuroko smirked. 

“Shhhhh, too early for that right now,” Kagami sleepily put his pointer finger over Kuroko’s lips. “And, no, I didn’t think you were a dream again. And I'm really glad that you’re not.” 

“Me too,” Kuroko said softly, pressing a kiss to the tip of Kagami’s finger. “We should get out of bed, though. I’m sure Nigou’s hungry.” 

“Mmm, yeah,” Kagami nodded, stretching and groaning. 

His chest was covered in hickeys and Kuroko smirked. _He'd_ done that. 

“What?” Kagami asked, noticing Kuroko’s expression. 

Kuroko shrugged. “Nothing much, just... are you sure you’ll be able to walk today?” 

Kagami threw a pillow at Kuroko’s head. “Just because it’s been a while doesn’t mean I can’t walk.” 

“Hmm, we’ll see about that. I was thinking about contacting Katsumi and having them meet us today, would you be up to it?” 

Kagami stood up and winced. “I’ll be fine, but jeez, did you really have to go that rough on me?” He finally noticed all the hickeys on his body. “And _really_ was all of this necessary?” 

“Of course,” Kuroko shrugged. “It has been a long time since we did that and I missed you. Anyway, we should tell our friends that we’re engaged now.” 

“You’re right,” Kagami nodded. “You wanna just... do it in a big group text? I feel like that would be the easiest way, right?” 

“Kise would complain if we did it that way, though, and I don’t really feel like dealing with that right now,” Kuroko sighed. “But honestly I don’t care what he thinks, and he can complain all he wants.” 

“He and Aomine didn’t even announce when they were married, though, he has _no room_ to talk,” Kagami rolled his eyes. 

Kuroko snorted. “You’re right about that. Yeah, let’s just do this.” 

He gently cupped Kagami’s cheek with his left hand and pulled up the camera on his phone, so that they were both in the frame. He made sure his ring was visible and pressed a kiss to Kagami’s cheek while taking a picture. Kagami’s smile was bashful as he looked at his fiancé in the camera. 

“Hmm, yes, I like that,” Kuroko nodded, after taking one look at it. “You think that’ll do the trick?” 

Kagami smiled softly. “Yeah, looks good to me.” He kissed Kuroko’s cheek in return. “I’m gonna go take a shower, okay?” 

Kuroko hummed and opened up his messages, sending a message to the group chat with his Teiko teammates that he already had muted. He knew they'd be blowing up his phone and he could read the messages later. “Do you think you could meet Katsumi and her wife and daughter today? Should I message her?” 

“Why not? I don’t really have any other plans today, so.” 

“Okay, I’ll see if they’re available then,” Kuroko nodded. 

He looked up and appreciated the view as Kagami dug through his dresser to get clothes to change into after his shower. 

“Mind if I join you for your shower?” he asked, cocking his eyebrow. 

Kagami looked over his shoulder. “Yes, I do,” he rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna take a quick shower while you set up the meet up and then you can take a shower after and I'll make breakfast.” 

Kuroko pouted. “Why don’t we just take one together to not waste water?” 

“We both know that won’t end well for either of us, so let’s just stick to separate showers,” Kagami rolled his eyes. “Plan the meet up for today, any time in the afternoon works.” 

Kagami opened the door and nearly tripped over the dog laying across the threshold. “Jeez! Nigou! What are you doing there?!” 

Nigou barked and stood up on his hind legs to lick at Kagami’s face. Kuroko watched with no intention to stop him because he knew could take it. 

“The meet up, Kuroko!” Kagami reminded him. “C’mon, Nigou, let’s get you some breakfast.” 

… 

“I’m glad the weather’s really nice,” Kagami said, spinning a ball on his finger as they walked to the court where they were meeting Katsumi and her family. “I didn’t really expect it to be _bad,_ but I'm glad it’s not raining or something.” 

“It’s beautiful here, I can see why you liked growing up here,” Kuroko nodded, looking around. Nigou was taking in all the smells around him and he seemed to be just as excited as the two of them. “But you are sure about this, right?” 

“Why wouldn’t I be? It’s not like I'm actually some kind of celebrity or something,” Kagami shrugged. 

“But you kind of are, and that’s why Katsumi’s wife literally named their daughter after you.” 

“Which they probably shouldn’t have, honestly,” Kagami blushed lightly. “That’s a bit much.” 

“I mean, that wasn’t really what I meant, considering your... state of indecency.” 

“What do you mean?” Kagami blinked, confused. 

Kuroko bit his lips and cocked his head to the side. “Did you... not look in the mirror this morning?” 

“No? _Oh my god._ You left hickeys _all over_ me, didn’t you?” 

Kuroko laughed. “Maybe.” 

“I fucking hate you, oh my god. But I can’t back out now! Great! I can’t take pictures with them like this, then.” 

“You’re going to refuse a fan?” 

“You did this on purpose, you gremlin,” Kagami shoved his fiancé. 

Kuroko laughed, and that was confirmation enough for Kagami. 

They rounded the corner to the court and Kuroko spotted Katsumi and her little family. Miki was shooting some baskets and little Taiga was sitting on the sidelines fiddling with a smaller basketball. Katsumi was reading a book, but sneaking glances at her wife as she made baskets. 

Kuroko shoved Kagami behind the corner, out of sight. “Stay there for a minute until I tell you to come out,” he hissed. 

“What the, why?” 

“Dramatic effect, obviously,” he rolled his eyes. 

Kagami sighed deeply, bouncing the ball once in irritation. 

“Katsumi!” Kuroko called, raising a hand in greeting. 

“Oh, Tetsuya!” Katsumi smiled, putting her book down. “It’s so good to see you again!” 

Miki didn’t make any indication that she really cared to see Kuroko again, but he was sure that as soon as he revealed that his fiancé was with him and _who_ his fiancé was, she might have a change of heart. 

“It’s very good to see you as well,” he bowed and looked over at Miki. “You play basketball, Miki-san?” 

“A little bit, yeah,” she shrugged, using her shirt to wipe of some of the sweat on her face. 

“Perhaps you’d like to meet my fiancé? He plays basketball too.” 

“Is he any good?” she scoffed, holding the ball between her hip and elbow. 

Kuroko shrugged. “I think he’s really good.” He looked back at where Kagami was, and if he listened closely, he heard the soft sound of a basketball being fiddled with and bounced against the wall. He sighed. “Nigou, go get him,” he muttered to the dog, unclipping his leash. 

Nigou shot over to where Kagami was, only half of his body disappearing before Kuroko heard Kagami’s startled yelp. 

“Gah! Nigou, what?! Fine! Just stop yanking on my shorts!” 

He finally came into view and Kuroko turned to see Miki’s reaction. 

Her eyes narrowed slightly before they widened in realization. “ _Holy shit,_ that’s... Taiga Kagami?! Holy fuck, oh my god, are you serious right now?!” She was completely in fangirl mode, and that’s what Kuroko had hoped for. 

“Yes, this is Taiga Kagami, my fiancé as of yesterday. I knew you were a fan, and it was just coincidence that I met Katsumi on the plane ride,” Kuroko smiled at her as Kagami joined them on the court. 

“Nice to meet ya, Miki, right?” Kagami stuck his hand out, a blinding smile on his face. 

“ _Oh my god,_ he knows my name,” Miki grabbed Katsumi’s arm and practically squealed. “Yeah, hi, I’m... a _huge_ fan,” she said, grabbing his hand with both of hers. “Um... Oh my god. You have a basketball. Were you coming to play here?” 

“I mean, we came here to meet you, but if you wanna play a game, I’m not gonna disagree,” he smirked. 

Miki seemed to lose all sense of decorum as she screamed. “You’d play a game with me?! A one-on-one?! Oh my god.” 

“Yeah, why not?” Kagami shrugged, spinning the ball on his finger. “If you think you can beat me, though, you have another thing coming.” 

Kuroko rolled his eyes. He’d been training too much with Aomine if he was talking like that. 

He sat down on the bench next to Katsumi and Taiga, watching the two basketball players go against each other. 

“Miki’s quite good,” he noted. 

“Yeah, she loves basketball with her whole being. She coaches the high school, actually, and they’re her best girls. Other than Taiga, of course.” 

“That’s very sweet,” Kuroko smiled, looking at the little girl. She seemed enraptured by the players on the court and Nigou seemed to be very aware of her. His body language screamed that he’d prevent her from going onto the court for everyone’s safety. “Taiga seems to be enjoying watching them.” 

“I don’t think she’s ever seen something like this up close before,” Katsumi smiled. 

After about half an hour, Kagami plopped down on the bench next to Kuroko, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Hey,” he said, kissing his cheek. 

“You done?” Kuroko asked. 

“I’m never done,” Kagami snorted. “Just taking a break.” He grabbed the water bottle from Kuroko’s bag and emptied half of it into his mouth. 

Little Taiga toddled up to him, her eyes sparkling. 

Kagami tensed up when a tiny hand touched his knee. 

“Amazing!” she said, throwing her hands in the air. 

“Oh, you think so?” Kagami smiled awkwardly. 

She climbed into his lap and Kagami absolutely _froze,_ something that Kuroko had never seen him do before. Come to think of it, actually, he’d never seen Kagami around kids. 

He loved kids, that’s why he was a kindergarten teacher, after all, but they’d never really talked about children. He idly wondered if his future with Kagami would have kids in it. He hoped so, but he’d never push that onto his fiancé if he was uncomfortable. 

“Aww!!! It’s Taiga and her namesake!” Katsumi cooed. “Please, Kagami-san, can we get a picture of the two of you?!” 

“Uh...” Kagami blinked, finally seeming to come to his senses. “Um... Y-yeah, sure. Why not?” 

Miki squealed at how adorable the two of them were and Kuroko tried not to laugh at how stiff Kagami looked with the little girl in his lap. 

She held up two fingers in peace signs with both hands and Kagami awkwardly did the same with one hand while the other was clenching his shorts in a fist. 

“You’re not going to hurt her if you hold her steady, Kagami,” Kuroko rolled his eyes. “Just put your arm around her.” 

“Oh. Okay,” Kagami swallowed and moved his arm so his hand was wrapped around her small body and was holding her steady. He looked ready to throw up and Kuroko wasn’t sure how to take that. 

“Thank you so much, Kagami-san, the two of you are so adorable!” Katsumi grinned widely after Taiga had climbed down off Kagami’s lap and made her way over to her. 

“We should get going, though,” Miki said sadly. “We have some business to attend to...” She looked at Kagami with a blushing face. “Um... Would it be okay if... you signed my shirt or something?” 

“Oh, uh. Yeah, that’s fine,” Kagami shrugged. “I don’t have a marker or something though.” 

“Here,” Kuroko said, shoving a sharpie into his hand. 

“Wow, you sure are prepared,” Kagami noted. “Sorry if it looks weird, I don’t really... have a signature or something yet...” He apologized after signing the back of Miki’s shirt. 

“And... can I get a picture with you, too, if you don’t mind?” 

He blushed. “Really? You want a picture with me?” 

“Of course! You’re... I mean, you’re so amazing and I really look up to you and it would mean the world to me!” 

“Okay, yeah, no problem,” he smiled. 

They took a picture together, and Kuroko had to admit that he was proud of himself. There were pretty dark hickeys on Kagami’s neck and he wasn’t sure if Miki just hadn’t noticed them or if she was too starstruck to say anything. Either way, when she looked at the pictures later and probably showed them to her friends, everyone would know that Kagami was taken. 

Kuroko didn’t really consider himself a possessive person, but when your fiancé is on the fast-track to fame, there are precautions to be made. 

The women left with their daughter and left Kagami and Kuroko on the court with their dog. 

“So... what did you think of your first fan meet?” Kuroko grinned. 

“I mean... that was a _lot,_ ” Kagami laughed lightly. “She was really nice, though.” 

“And what about their daughter?” 

“Um... she was so tiny.” 

“What do you think about kids, Kagami?” 

He blinked, his fiery eyes glimmering with nervousness. “I mean... I never really thought about them much, honestly.” 

“Tell me honestly, do you see yourself having children with me when we’re married?” Kuroko asked, putting a hand over Kagami’s on the bench. 

Kagami fidgeted and looked away from Kuroko. “I... I know you love kids, obviously, and...” 

“It’s a simple yes or no question, Kagami,” Kuroko shrugged. “I’m not going to be mad if you say no.” 

The taller man let out a breath. “Honestly? I don’t see us having kids in the future. I’m sorry, but just... I’d really just love to be a family with you and Nigou forever...” 

Kuroko smiled slightly, leaning back to look at the clear sky. “I’ve always wondered about that. We never really talked about kids, and when I mentioned I was going to be a kindergarten teacher all those years ago, you were absolutely shocked.” 

“Yeah, because I just... I don’t know how to act around kids...” Kagami defended himself. 

“I know, and that’s fine. Not everyone does know how to. Besides, we have Nigou,” Kuroko shrugged, looking at the dog. “He’s enough of a baby.” 

“Damn right he is,” Kagami laughed. “Come here, Nigou!” 

The husky barked and bounded over to them, his tail wagging. 

Kuroko watched his fiancé fiddle with the dog’s ears and felt a sense of absolute serenity. As long as he had Kagami, he was positive they’d be able to get through anything. 

Long-distance, petty fights, fears of the future; those things meant nothing as long as they loved each other.

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by [this tweet](https://twitter.com/tobitetsu_/status/1343526968671682564). my brain went absolutely _hogwild_ and i did **not** expect it to get this fucking long, but uh.... it did. apparently i have a lot of feelings about KagaKuro that i've never explored before lmao. this is the longest one shot i've ever written ajkdfasdjkfla. what a way to end the year, falling facefirst back into an old fandom that i've been in for at least five years but haven't really written for. 😤


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